Predicting Reduction of Hypertension After Adrenalectomy for Primary Aldosteronism: a Multicenter Analysis

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the excessive endogenous production of the mineralocorticoid aldosterone. Although various rare forms of PA exist, the vast majority of cases are accounted by either an aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) or bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. During the last decades the prevalence of PA has risen, predominantly due to better awareness of disease. Several studies estimated a prevalence of PA up to 17% in an unselected population of hypertensive patients. However, in a population with resistant hypertension the reported prevalence is even higher: 17-23%. This emphasizes the clinical impact of PA on morbidity and mortality due to high blood pressure. Since both hypertension and aldosteronism are independent risk factors for cardiovascular morbidity, the aim of treatment is curation or reduction of both. After an adrenalectomy for APA normalization of biochemical abnormalities is achieved in almost all cases. Nevertheless, curation of hypertension (systolic blood pressure \<140 and diastolic blood pressure \<90 mmHg) without the need of antihypertensive medication is accomplished in only 35-45% of the cases. In 2008 the Aldosteronoma Resolution Score (ARS) was developed. This score predicts the likelihood of complete resolution of the hypertension in patients with an aldosteronoma and has been validated by other investigator groups. Reduction of hypertension is also an important clinical outcome and is reported in 90-98% of the patients after surgery. In most studies reduction is defined as a certain decrease in blood pressure or antihypertensive medication. However, there is no consensus on the precise definition of reduction in these patients, which leads to incomparable results. The aim of the proposed study is to determine the proportion of patients with clinically relevant reduction of hypertension after adrenalectomy in a large cohort. Furthermore, the investigators aim to determine the characteristics predicting this clinically relevant reduction. Additionally, the investigators evaluate the predictive value of the Aldosteronoma Resolution Score for clinically relevant reduction and aim to develop a scoring system to help clinicians predict the likelihood of reduction of hypertension after adrenalectomy so it can be used for patient counseling.

Sex

All

Minimum age

18 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* All patients who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy between 2010 and 2016 for APA.
* Patients with biochemical evidence of primary aldosteronism who underwent adrenalectomy on account of an aldosterone-producing adenoma(APA), proven by Computerized Tomography(CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) or Adrenal Venous Sampling(AVS).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age \<18 years.
* Missing or incomplete data about preoperative blood pressure and number of antihypertensive drugs.
* Missing or incomplete follow-up data about postoperative blood pressure and number of antihypertensive drugs. We aim enter the blood pressure and number of antihypertensive drugs closest to 6 months after adrenalectomy.

• BACKGROUNDWilliams TA, Lenders JWM, Mulatero P, Burrello J, Rottenkolber M, Adolf C, Satoh F, Amar L, Quinkler M, Deinum J, Beuschlein F, Kitamoto KK, Pham U, Morimoto R, Umakoshi H, Prejbisz A, Kocjan T, Naruse M, Stowasser M, Nishikawa T, Young WF Jr, Gomez-Sanchez CE, Funder JW, Reincke M; Primary Aldosteronism Surgery Outcome (PASO) investigators. Outcomes after adrenalectomy for unilateral primary aldosteronism: an international consensus on outcome measures and analysis of remission rates in an international cohort. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2017 Sep;5(9):689-699. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(17)30135-3. Epub 2017 May 30. PMID 28576687
• BACKGROUNDZarnegar R, Young WF Jr, Lee J, Sweet MP, Kebebew E, Farley DR, Thompson GB, Grant CS, Clark OH, Duh QY. The aldosteronoma resolution score: predicting complete resolution of hypertension after adrenalectomy for aldosteronoma. Ann Surg. 2008 Mar;247(3):511-8. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e318165c075. PMID 18376197
• BACKGROUNDUtsumi T, Kawamura K, Imamoto T, Kamiya N, Komiya A, Suzuki S, Nagano H, Tanaka T, Nihei N, Naya Y, Suzuki H, Tatsuno I, Ichikawa T. High predictive accuracy of Aldosteronoma Resolution Score in Japanese patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma. Surgery. 2012 Mar;151(3):437-43. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2011.08.001. Epub 2011 Oct 13. PMID 22000827
• BACKGROUNDAronova A, Gordon BL, Finnerty BM, Zarnegar R, Fahey TJ 3rd. Aldosteronoma resolution score predicts long-term resolution of hypertension. Surgery. 2014 Dec;156(6):1387-92; discussion 1392-3. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2014.08.019. Epub 2014 Nov 11. PMID 25456916
• BACKGROUNDStowasser M, Gordon RD, Gunasekera TG, Cowley DC, Ward G, Archibald C, Smithers BM. High rate of detection of primary aldosteronism, including surgically treatable forms, after 'non-selective' screening of hypertensive patients. J Hypertens. 2003 Nov;21(11):2149-57. doi: 10.1097/00004872-200311000-00025. PMID 14597859
• RESULTVorselaars WMCM, Nell S, Postma EL, Zarnegar R, Drake FT, Duh QY, Talutis SD, McAneny DB, McManus C, Lee JA, Grant SB, Grogan RH, Romero Arenas MA, Perrier ND, Peipert BJ, Mongelli MN, Castelino T, Mitmaker EJ, Parente DN, Pasternak JD, Engelsman AF, Sywak M, D'Amato G, Raffaelli M, Schuermans V, Bouvy ND, Eker HH, Bonjer HJ, Vaarzon Morel NM, Nieveen van Dijkum EJM, Vrielink OM, Kruijff S, Spiering W, Borel Rinkes IHM, Valk GD, Vriens MR; International CONNsortium study group. Clinical Outcomes After Unilateral Adrenalectomy for Primary Aldosteronism. JAMA Surg. 2019 Apr 1;154(4):e185842. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2018.5842. Epub 2019 Apr 17.